Our core values: Does it look like Jesus? Is it motivated by Love? Does it foster community and/or relationship? Are we being empowered by the Holy Spirit? Does it promote Peace & Reconciliation?
Contact Information:
Contact: Chris Cahall
(727) 502-6783
chris@spv.org
1) We affirm the core doctrines of the historic orthodox Church, including the inspiration and authority of Scripture, the triune nature of God, the deity of Jesus Christ, the creation of the world, the fall of humanity, the need for salvation, the return of Jesus and God’s ultimate victory over evil.
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2) Jesus is the full and complete revelation of the character of God. He reveals that God is love (I Jn 4:8) – the kind of self-sacrificial love that was most perfectly revealed when Jesus gave his life for us on the cross (I Jn 3:16). The revelation of God on the cross surpasses all previous revelations (Heb 1:3), so our mental picture of God should be based on Christ, not on anything we find in any other source, including the Old Testament.
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3) “Salvation” is not merely about believing in Jesus to escape hell when you die. It is about entering into an authentic relationship with Jesus and being empowered by the Spirit to live like Jesus and to become the means by which the wholeness of God’s life brings healing to us, to our broken society, and to God’s broken creation. We will experience the fullness of our "salvation" when we and the entire creation are reconciled to God by means of the cross (Col 1:20).
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4) We reject the belief that one of the things that leaders in God's Kingdom should do is publicly support godly political candidates.
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5) When Jesus and Paul instruct us to never retaliate but to instead love and bless our enemies (Mt 5:39-45; Rom 12:14-21), they also meant that I can not use lethal force against someone who threatens me or my loved ones.
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6) Living in community with others is a central kingdom value, for, among other things, all believers need trusting relationships with others that include the invitation to speak truth into each other’s lives.
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7) Our one responsibility to those with whom we are not in an intimate, trusting relationship is to look past whatever faults we think we see in them, to agree with God that they were worth Jesus dying for, and to reflect this agreement by how we think about them and act toward them.
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8) The free will of a person can thwart God’s plan for them.
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9) We reject the idea that the United States (or any country) is a fundamentally Christian nation.
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10) If done in appropriate contexts, supernatural spiritual gifts such as prophecy and speaking in tongues should be encouraged.
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11) Women should have the same access to leadership in the church that men have.
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12) Christians can have different opinions about the best way for their government to handle divisive political issues such as abortion, climate change, gun control, poverty, immigration laws, and same-sex marriage.
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13) It is important for Christians to listen and follow the leading of the Spirit in their day-to-day lives.
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14) It would be appropriate for a church to take time in a service to pray for terrorists.
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15) We are called to never consider “flesh and blood” (humans) to be our enemies, for our real enemies are the “spiritual forces of evil” (Eph 6:12).
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16) Assuming appropriate rehabilitation and restoration has been completed, no sin should permanently exclude someone from leadership in ministry.
